An Interview...

I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was going to participate in The Great Interview Experiment over at Citizen of the Month. The idea behind the experiment is that everybody is Somebody, and should be interviewed at least once in their lives.

I have interviewed Julie Scott, or Burgundy Skies, of the group blog Pererro. Julie has had an interesting life, with a somewhat convoluted path. Without further ado, here's the inside scoop:

1. If you had to pick one thing that initiated your change from "liberal, neo-pagan, feminist, druggie, wiccan-high-priestess" to "conservative, Christian, post-feminist, clean and (mostly) dry stay-at-home mom" what would it be? What was the catalyst for the change?

Now there's a difficult one. I've been trying to document this change in my "My Life (or something like it)" series, and if there is one thing I've learned it's that change for me is more a process - and a really long term process at that. I suppose you could say the major players were God and David. I can't really narrow it down more than that because I think God put David into my life, but it was also through David that I learned that God loved me, even if I was a neo-pagan with a substance abuse problem. If I had to pick an event, I'd probably say my near death experience, because there's nothing like coming out of an alcoholic coma to find the only people that helped you were your crazy Christian friends to make you really reassess your priorities.

2. What is the last book you read? Did you like it? Why? Should I read it?

Well, I'm currently reading David's 3rd or 4th draft of his ambitious Sci-Fi/coming of age novel, but that's nowhere near publication yet, although I am enjoying it.

The last published novel I read was "The Way of a Man with a Maid". Yes, I liked it. Both for naughty reasons and because it IS really well written Victorian fiction. However, I suggest you skip the last section. Really, unless you are already a fan of Victorian erotica, you should probably skip it altogether and go read some Jane Austen instead. If you are not a fan of 1800s literature at all, well, then... I can't help you. I love the stuff.

3. If you could take a 2 week vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? Who would go with you? What would you do?

That's a tough one. If it was truly anywhere in the world, I think I'd go on a mad plane trip to as many fabulous locations as I could squeeze in to two weeks. If I HAVE to pick just one - I'd really, really like to on a walkabout in New Zealand. Of course David and the Boo would have to come with me. We would hike through the beautiful flora and fauna of New Zealand, take pictures, sample local foods, and have a grand adventure.

4. List the ingredients in the perfect sandwich.

This might just be impossible. Next to bananas, sandwiches are probably the world's most perfect food. How else can you devour all the food groups at once? Unless it involves mayo or Kraft American cheese, I've rarely met a sandwich I didn't like. I think I can narrow down the field, though.

Hot - Fresh from the oven French bread, the spiciest mustard you can find, lean pastrami cut paper thin, and thick slices of Sonoma pepper jack.

Cold - Authentic San Francisco sourdough bread, Dijon mustard, thick sliced beefsteak tomatoes, pan fried center cut bacon, sliced avocado, and oven roasted turkey breast in nice thick slices.

For some reason, I hate mixing cheese and veggies on a sandwich - I hadn't noticed until now, but I usually have one or the other, but not both.

5. You just woke up, it's 9 a.m., and you have an appointment at 9:30 a.m. What's your strategy for getting there on time?

Well, that depends on where it is, doesn't it? We live relatively far from anywhere - even trying to make it to the nearest grocery store by 9:30 would be pretty pointless if I've just woken up at 9. So, I guess there is no strategy. I'd call whoever it is that I'm going to be late to meet and find out if it's okay if I come later or if I can reschedule the appointment. My husband is notoriously unconcerned about actually getting places on time unless it is going to cost him money not to be there, and I've found that the attitude is contagious.

6. Early Bird or Night Owl? Have you always been this way? Why?

Both. In a perfect world I would sleep from about 10am - 6pm. I consume large amounts of caffeine to get through a normal work day schedule. I think I always have because that's the sleeping schedule I've always adopted when left to my own devices (i.e. over summer vacation). I blame genetics - my dad appears to have similar circadian rhythms.

7. What is one thing you would not eat at a dinner party, even if your hostess had painstakingly prepared it just for you?

Anything with onions. If I eat them you will not see much of me at the dinner party, and the hostess will probably have to hire a haz-mat crew to clean her bathroom afterwards.

8. Do you buy organic products? Why or why not?

Sometimes. I'm kind of a lazy whole foods person. If it's there I'll buy it because I hate the idea of eating something I can't pronounce or my food having weird chemicals in it, but not so much I'm going to put a whole lot of effort into it. (Also, Twinkies are yummy.)

However, I do go out of my way to buy organic whole wheat spaghetti because it's healthier than regular pasta and once you get used to the taste, regular pasta tastes pretty bland.

9. When you were 9 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Oh gosh. Why 9? 9 was a bad year for me. My dog died, my best friend moved away, one of my other friends was taken out of school by child services because her dad beat her, my mom had breast cancer, my dad gave me my first shot of whiskey (yeah, that was a great year to introduce me to that!).... I think at 9 I had way too much to think about in the present to even consider the future. Besides, I already had everyone telling me what I should be when I grew up - my dad wanted me to be a poet, my choir director wanted me to be a musical theater star, my teacher wanted me to be a famous writer, my aunt wanted me to be a teacher...

Which leads nicely into your next question...

10. What kind of dreams do you have for your children?

I don't. I catch myself doing it every once in awhile and then I stop myself. My dreams are for me, my child is free to dream for herself. Besides, my daughter is a huge dreamer - I'd hardly want to limit her. Her current plan to be a robotics engineer/farmer/veterinarian/famous philanthropist is already far more ambitious than anything I could come up with and I say more power to her. (She's even got it worked out that she will build robots on her farm while tending to her own animals and using the profits to set up a charity organization to help the poor.)

11. What kind of old woman will you be one day?

Hopefully the kind that looks great for her age, goes on hikes in the foothills, dances with her husband, and keeps her nose out of other people's business, but is always ready to drop everything to help a good friend.